


Oxygen

by CH0G1WA



Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, amnesiac!elena, angst idk, i suck at writing kdnfjvbkjl, saint elena??? nope lol, slow burn cause why not, tyler!klaus (only for the first few chapters)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-11
Updated: 2020-08-21
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:27:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23591566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CH0G1WA/pseuds/CH0G1WA
Summary: Set after 3x22.Klaus has lived a thousand years but he had not seen a vampire lose their memories after transitioning into one.(Or the one where Elena wakes up in transition and Rebekah compels her to forget everything she knows about herself as revenge for her brother.)
Relationships: Elena Gilbert/Klaus Mikaelson
Comments: 65
Kudos: 152





	1. i

It all happened so fast.

One moment she was drowning, ready to die for someone else. It was a death befitting that of a doppelganger: sacrificing themselves for others, that is. Katherine did everything she could possibly do to avoid this. But Elena was no Katherine. It seems she’s lived up to what people expected of her kind after all.

She was so certain she died that fateful night on Wickery Bridge. She had given up her life in order for Matt to live— the thought in which perhaps, by her death, things in Mystic Falls could resume back to its old ways. No vampires. No hybrids. No doppelganger. These thoughts filled her mind with ease _(they make everything easy for her to accept her incoming doom, make everything easy to watch Stefan pull Matt out of the car instead of her)_ just as the cold water around her filled her lungs.

It seems those thoughts only proved to be her fantasy when she awoke in this dark and dreary room, the only light source being from the sign which says _EXIT_. At first, she made a conclusion that she was on the Other Side. But then the image of herself gasping for breath all the while pleading Stefan to save Matt instead of her flashes through her mind. She gasps, bolting upright the metallic table she was lying on _(how long had she been in there?)_ , her head full of questions as she surveys the room around her. Everything feels too real for her to be on the Other Side. Coughing down the water from her lungs, she takes note that she isn’t wearing anything. The smell of formalin filled her nostrils and it was then that she realized she’s in a morgue.

She scrambles to leave the room, not minding her nakedness as she only had her friends in mind. She feels weird, but whatever miracle it was that made her return from the dead was pushed aside her thoughts. _They were probably grieving right now._ She couldn’t bear the idea of them crying not only for her, but also for Alaric whom they have lost twice. Tears welled up in her eyes, threatening to fall.

Dizziness strikes her before she could even reach the door, almost hitting her head when she falls suddenly on the ground. She thought she saw someone from the corner of her eyes. At first she dismissed it; it was so dark she probably was hallucinating. _Must be a side effect from coming back from the dead,_ she convinces herself.

But the longer she stares, the more she’s certain of it. Her heart sped up when she made clear of whom the person is. She couldn’t mistake that blonde hair.

“I was praying they were wrong, you know.”

From the shadows, Rebekah emerged, her eyes full of contempt as she watches Elena from under her gold lashes. “If only you had stayed dead, I wouldn’t have to resort to this.”

Elena thought the same, had wished she stayed rested in her eternal sleep, but the confusion by which she doesn’t know why she’s still alive until now and that she doesn’t know what Rebekah was talking about made her unable to say anything back to her. Instead, she meets the other girl’s gaze with the same intensity, knowing full well that it probably might not be the best action given the situation.

She willed herself to stand up despite the dizziness.

“Niklaus is dead.” The way Rebekah revealed this didn’t do much to ease up the tension inside her.

“ _You_ killed me.”

Scoffing at those words, Rebekah made a move towards her, her heels clicking as they come into contact with the ground, the sound of them surrounding the entire room. She stopped inches before her, her eyes showing no emotions. Elena reminded herself not to be intimidated because this was _Rebekah_. She refuses to show any reaction that would satisfy the Original.

“I did,” Rebekah admits before adding, “To save my brother. Because let’s face it Elena, you would do the same if it were your brother in danger.”

“But he’s still dead, isn’t he?” Elena knew better than provoke her even more, but her mouth had moved before she even catches herself.

Rebekah laughs humorlessly because of this. “You’re right. He wouldn’t come back even if I kill you here for the second time.”

She couldn't see her clearly but Rebekah sounded tired.

Elena gains slight courage because of that. She closes whatever small distance they had as she places her hand on the other girl’s shoulder.

“Then let me go," she urges. "You have done more than enough. You should love yourself, Rebekah. It’s time you stop living under the shadow of your brother. You should be able to live for yourself this time around.” Elena meant every single word that came from her mouth. She remembers the girl who had opened up to her, the one who confessed of running for a thousand years, craving for love only to get betrayed over and over again. 

It seems her words have gotten into her when Rebekah’s eyes grew soft. She notes the way the woman backs away from her, the visible loneliness by which the woman tried to hide only to fail. She wipes angrily the tears that escapes her. 

Elena sees the opportunity to flee—

Rebekah was already in between her and the door. She glares at Elena, her nails digging through her wrist, preventing Elena from escape. 

"Don't think you can use the same trick on me again," she says with so much malice, Elena actually flinches hearing them. It was a gamble on her part, that she knows to herself, but it wouldn't hurt to try. 

"Let me go!"

"Doesn't it even concern you how I manage to learn you're alive?"

Elena stopped struggling.

"What do you mean?" 

Rebekah deepened her nails through her skin, making her scream. She watches with pain when blood came oozing from her wrist, only for it to heal slowly, as if there were no wounds in the first place. She blinks.

"No. That's not possible..."

"Oh, but it is!" Rebekah exclaims with so much enthusiasm, "I heard you died with vampire blood in your system—Damon's to be specific—but don't worry, I already compelled them to forget that part."

 _I was praying they were wrong, you know._ Rebekah's first words were finally clear to her. _If only you had stayed dead, I wouldn’t have to resort to this._

Elena could only stare at her with disbelief. 

"But what a shame, as dearest Elena here didn't want to become a vampire." Rebekah's nails trace her face, her voice too cheery for her taste. "Stay there." She didn't even notice when Rebekah had managed to compel her. She wills her body to move to no avail. 

She watches as Rebekah came to get something from the other side of the room. Her mind didn't register it at first, but the terror of seeing what was in Rebekah's hand almost made her lurch. The smell was too strong and suddenly there was only _hunger_.

It was a blood bag. 

She closes her eyes. No. No. _No._

"Just kill me."

"But that's what _you_ want, I couldn't possibly give you the satisfaction of giving that to you."

Rebekah was right. That's what she wants. Her in transition means there's still a chance for her to die without ever becoming a vampire. But feeding on human blood eliminates that possibility.

Tears escaped her when the blood was forced down her throat, her eyes set on Rebekah's face in disdain. She wanted to erase the smile on her face, wanted to punch the hell out of her. And yet she's helpless against her. She couldn't even make a move without so much as a command from her.

The dizziness she had felt earlier was suddenly gone after finishing the bag. Rebekah wipes the blood on her chin with her thumb, licking them off as she casts a grin towards her. "Now that wasn't so bad, was it?"

"Go to hell." It's funny how she had said those words to her brother once. Rebekah didn't find it mildly concerning, only giving her a bored look before grabbing her chin. "We're not done."

She fights her off when Rebekah urges her to look her in the eye, struggling to free herself from her. She fails, of course. She always does.

"I want you to forget everything. About your past. About yourself. About your ties with the family you made for yourself. You will not remember a single thing. No amount of love can save you."

At first, it seems like the compulsion wasn't working, 

(And then her mind went _blank_.)

"Everyday you will resent yourself for being alive, but you cannot die."

(She felt the anger building up inside her. Couldn't place the spiteful feeling she has for herself when she closes her eyes.)

"You will spend your life regretting for taking part in the killing of my brother. I want you to remember him. His name. His face. He will be your salvation, only to remember at the end of the day, it was your fault he died."

(There were fires everywhere, the memories of that night flooding her mind. Klaus takes her up in his arms, draining her of her blood, no sign of struggling on her part. The gentleness as his lips meets her neck, and the way he yanks her further in his grasp was the only thing she could think of. She dies happily that way, only for it to be taken away from her when she catches a look of herself through Rebekah' s eyes.)

"Now run."

And she did.

Klaus, in Tyler's body, found her wandering the woods several days later. 

She surprises him when tears escaped her eyes the moment her gaze landed on his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I suck at summaries, yes.
> 
> Anyways this will be my first story for the TVD fandom, and the Klaulena dynamic just seems to call to me. The thirst for this ship is real and when you have finished reading through all the fanfics out there, the right course of action would be to write one.
> 
> Do forgive me if you find some mistakes, English isn't my first language :c
> 
> Update (05/11/20): Did minor editing for this chapter.


	2. ii

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was short but hopefully I could write something longer in the future *crossed fingers*

It had to be another ploy of some sort; another plan to take him down. They never get tired, never stopped coming after him no matter how many times he destroy their silly plans. It was fun at first, watching their futile efforts of finding ways to kill him only to prove them that he's indestructible. It fascinates him. They're simply pawns in this game of chess, not even worth considering to be his opponent. Not realizing they exists solely for his entertainment, a way to pass this aeonian and atemporal life he has.

Lately he hasn't been enjoying himself. 

(He has to do something about that.)

And so he had carefully laid out his plans in the midst of all chaos, the Bennett witch helping him in exchange for the lives of her friends _(it was so funny— all he had to do was offer her her friend's safety and she was so quick to agree_ ). The witch helped by transferring him into Lockwood's body and it is to his delight when he was able to trick Caroline with no efforts into believing he was her lover, obviating all possibilities of suspicion.

Elena being dead didn't surprise him at all. He watches how her silly circus band of whom she calls her friends grieve for her in the funeral they arranged for her. The blue eyed boy cried the most, lamenting about how he should have been the one in that grave instead of her. Klaus agrees in silent. With his death, there might still be a reason for him to stay in this one-horse-town. With Elena gone, there's no reason for him to linger any longer without the tool to create his hybrids. It amuses him, how the tears fell so easily from their eyes when he knows it was their fault she was dead after all.

Or so he thought so.

Klaus couldn't believe himself, the one time he decided to be in his other form, when he sees the girl who everyone thought had died the same night he took control of Tyler's body. He finds her stravaging the woods like a sylvan, like a nymph, graceful and alluring as the moon illuminates her features. For a second he thought she might be a ghost, one who's come to haunt him for the things he's done to her. There was blood dripping below her chin, running down across her neck _(he observes the scar from the sacrifice, pleased to find it was still there),_ painting and mapping her body in scarlet before Klaus notices the pool of blood beneath her feet. 

He tries to ignore the lack of clothing on her part, assuming ghosts might not be a fan of wearing garments on the Other Side.

Elena doesn't look at him. Doesn't spare a glance at him. She was more focused on something else and Klaus understood it at that moment when he gets to see a better view of what she's doing.

She isn't a ghost.

A vampire. She was feeding on human for goodness sake!

His gaze were fixed on her the entire time as she was feeding on her victim, not having any care for her surroundings at all. He finds himself hiding behind an oak tree, his breath silent.

Klaus laughs to himself. Oh, what a twisted and cruel way of fate. Once she had loathe the thought of becoming a vampire—blood-sucking, cold-hearted individuals with disregard for their victims—and now she's turned into one herself. He cannot wait to hear her thoughts, her reasons for leaving her loved ones to their sorrows, her being the cause of all this _animal attacks_ lately, how she had managed to not get herself caught for the past few days. They were a fool to believe she died—

No.

 _He_ was a fool for believing she died.

Was it their plan after all? Make him believe she's dead so he would leave them alone? Did the Bennett witch tell them he's still alive? Do they know he's in Tyler's body all this time?

His thoughts came to a halt when he hears her voice. 

"Go. I don't want to kill you. Forget this ever happened."

Of course. He's not entirely expecting her to kill someone but he still couldn't hide his disappointment when he sees her letting her victim go. _Still Saint Elena even as a vampire._

He decided to show himself before Elena could disappear once again, afraid he's not gonna see her if he lets her go. He comes out from his hiding, revealing himself in front of her and wears his best Lockwood front, casting down worried glance in her direction.

"Elena," the name rolls off his tongue so easily. 

She spun around to the direction of his voice, shock imminent on her face. He listens closely and hears her heart beating faster compared to earlier, the obvious alertness in her stance amusing him all the while. There was something different about this Elena, he takes note to himself. He can tell that it was her, sure, but she was looking at him like some stranger. This causes him to wonder. He didn't really pay no heed to how close Tyler was to Elena but he was still sure that if he was to ever show up before her, the expression she currently has on her face would not be her reaction.

_Does she know?_

He peeks her through his lashes, watches her stupefied face change into a more conflicted one. He doesn't miss the tears that rolled down her cheeks, her eyes focused on his. 

"I... I'm sorry."

That was not exactly the words Klaus expected to come off her lips.

"Forgive me for asking this... but who are you?"

He doesn't know if he lacks the sense of humor because this didn't make him laugh.

Klaus has lived a thousand years but he had not seen a vampire lose their memories after transitioning into one. It must be some sick joke. Do they really think this would work on him? Did they lack any more ideas how to take him down because he could give them a few pointers if they want.

But the look on Elena’s face didn’t change at all.

_Impossible._


	3. iii

She's been on the run for a few days now. 

From what or from whom— she has no idea.

It's astonishing to say that nobody has caught up to her yet. She hasn't exactly made a good job covering her tracks, that, she did on purpose. She deliberately frees her victims; the thought that one day somebody will figure out why this people went missing only for them to come back with all these bite wounds make her heart flutter. Maybe they will give her the one thing she's been craving the most. The one thing she can't give herself, no matter how many times she tries to stake her heart— which she can’t.

If another vampire sees her, they will think she’s a saint.

She isn’t.

She did all that for a reason of her own. She is shrewd, conniving in her own way. A mastermind to a plan she hopes does not go unsuccessful. If she can’t kill herself, she’ll beguile others to fulfill them.

She can’t remember who she was. Doesn’t remember her name, where she came from, what she’s here for. Only the knowledge that the ineffable pain within her needs to stop; it needs to end soon. The hatred in her heart, the one she has for herself, seems to grow more lately each day. She’s tried all sorts of ways to eliminate herself only to fail. At night, when she’s too exhausted to find new ways to ensure she won’t open her eyes again, she imagines _him_ , giving her the death she yearns within his arms; the swiftest touch of his lips against her skin; the heat of those blazing flames surrounding them. She also hears voices— shouting, screaming, yelling someone's name. It's not clear to her if it was hers or someone else's. 

How ironic that those things are what keeping her feel the most alive in those times she wants to embrace death. She finds peace whenever she thinks about it.

_(It’s as if he’s her salvation)_

So when this man shows up all of a sudden and calls her Elena, she doesn't know exactly what made her body react almost immediately, as if that's the most natural reaction to it.

For a second she thought it was him.

 _Klaus_.

She remembers him. Remembers everything he did to her. His face, his name— they are all etched in her body and soul, in her heart and in her mind. She knows it’s not love. Hell, it’s everything but love. But her knowledge of him keeps her grounded in the world where she knows anything but herself. He’s her only connection to her past self, the one she has no memory of.

_She knows she’s the reason why he’s gone._

The man before her is anything but Klaus.

The tears formed instantly when their eyes met. She doesn’t know why. Doesn’t want to know the reason why. Her emotions are all over the place and she’s not sure what to do about it.

Regret. Despair. Shame. Those things overwhelmed her, drowning her in misery.

Who is this man, to make her feel like this?

“Forgive me for asking this… but who are you?”

The man frowns. He opens his mouth, as if to laugh at her, but he sees her face and stops. He looks at her as if she’s broken _(she_ is _broken,_ she thinks _)_. They stared at each other in silence, studying each other’s features, both trying to figure out what exactly is wrong.

This goes on for a few more minutes until the man broke the silent.

“Why don’t we get you something to wear first, _love_.”

She feels the wild throbbing of her heart upon hearing that word alone. The man raises his eyebrow but doesn’t say anything about it. He offers her his hand; she questions his intention at first but takes it nonetheless. 

He leads her out of the woods.

He doesn’t ask why she didn’t compel some family to take her in, why she chose to remain undress when even he, an immortal, knows it’s freezing outside for his taste _(unbeknownst to him, it’s a punishment she gave to herself)._ He takes her to his house, not the one Lockwood’s own; gave her time to clean herself up; let her pick clothes she can dress herself into from Rebekah’s closet. She doesn’t say anything throughout it all, and neither did he.

Klaus isn’t sure why he did so. You can call it curiosity, or maybe he thinks she could be his secret weapon when time calls for it, his little secret. But at that moment, he just wanted to see her away from that situation.

It’s not pity. That, he’s sure of himself.

He decided he won’t speak of their encounter to her for the meantime, letting her rest in one of his guest rooms. Tomorrow, he thinks, tomorrow he will talk to her. Clear things up with her. Tonight though, he will give her time to collect her thoughts.

The next day he finds Elena already awake, hiding herself within the corners of the room, shielding herself from the glaring blaze of the sun. He finds this view amusing, doesn't hide the smirk that forms his lips while he leans over the doorway. Elena was too busy keeping herself away from the angry streak of sunlight penetrating the room to notice him. When she does though, she glares at him _._

"Is this funny for you?"

"Yes," he answers without blinking. "I mean who would have thought, the famous Elena Gilbert, afraid of something a measly mortal can walk into without so much of an effort."

"Aren't you the same?" she mutters bitterly to herself. He hears it anyway.

"I'm not," he says with arrogance. "I'm better than most of everyone here." And it's true. He could crush anyone without batting an eye, knows the power he has more than anyone. He doesn't hide it—doesn't feel the need to. He likes to flaunt it, actually. Let everyone be reminded of their weakness if they dare face him.

He doesn't say anything about him being a hybrid, that he doesn't need those daylight rings to protect him from the sun. 

Elena eyes him with so much curiosity and Klaus grins. She looks away.

"Elena Gilbert... Is that really my name?" She changes the subject, fiddling with her dress. Klaus notices the nervousness in her tone, like she's afraid to know anything about herself, afraid to learn what kind of person she was in the past.

He would still like to believe she's lying.

"You can drop the act now, sweetheart. Nobody’s buying it." 

“I’m not pretending!” She snaps. She can't believe he's accusing her right now when he's the one who brought her in this place.

“Right. Don’t go expecting me to hand you over your boyfriends when I learn about this new scheme of yours.” 

He feels her eyes following him when he crosses the room to close off the curtains. Klaus hears her relieve sighs, the shuffling of her feet when she stands. He spins around to see her giving him that look, the one that made him take her in his place first and foremost.

"I have no idea what you're talking about. There's no scheme," she grits between her teeth, “Why do you think I came here with you?” She’s clenching her fists, fire in her eyes. She tries to hide her fear with foolish bravery but _he knows._

“I don’t know, love. Do tell me.” He takes a step, teasing her, the unspoken words hanging in the air: _Come on, try me._ Elena didn’t move, didn’t falter in his attempt to intimidate her. She stood there boldly, unyielding, daring. Mirth flickered in his eyes and she sees this.

“Answers. Since you seem to know a lot about me, I thought I’ll have it if I come here with you.” She closes the distance around them, challenging him. “But I'm guessing I’m just wasting my time around here. So if you'll excuse me—”

“ _You’re not going anywhere_ ," he surprises both of them when he said that. Seeing she's not going to change her mind, he sighs, taking her arm before leading her downstairs and dragging her to the dining room. He doesn't give her time to protest when he yanks her to sit into one of the chairs before glaring at her.

"You'll need to have a full stomach if you want answers."

“You didn’t tell me your name.” Elena declares when she had finished her plate. Klaus merely gave her a glance before going back to the book he’s reading.

“Do I have to?”

“ _Fine_ , don’t.” She rolls her eyes, wiping her mouth with the table napkin. It keeps bugging her, the identity of the man in front of her. She finds him irritating and yet she doesn't forget about their encounter the night before. There's still that nagging feeling deep within her, the longing one that seeks and craves and yearns for the sweetest kiss of death. She didn't tell him her other reason for coming with him.

Klaus didn’t say anything after that, barely paying attention to her. There was a long pause of deafening silence before she decided to take the matter at hand, snatching the book away from him. This earns her a scowl.

“ _You said you’re giving me the answers I’m looking for.”_

“You misinterpreted me. I didn’t say _I_ have the answers for whatever questions you have in mind.”

Elena gaped at him with bewilderment. “Fair point. Then tell me what you know about me.”

“As a matter of fact, aside from your name, I’ve not care to get to know you at all.”

 _This is pointless_. He’s not going to give her any serious response at all. Elena finds herself leaving the table when she hears him speak. “I need to get back to my body, assuming you’re true to your words and not conspiring anything against me as we speak.”

“Your body?”

He gave her a look. “It is what it is.”

“And that’ll help me learn whatever I want to know?”

“Trust me, darling,” he says with so much confidence. “Not that you have any other choice left.”

She finds herself agreeing.

Later that day, Klaus gives her an empty journal. 

When she asks what this is all about, he gave her a rather quick answer.

"If there's anything that you're known for, it would be for writing in those silly things you keep with you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It took me so long to finish this particular chapter as I find it hard to make Elena and Klaus realistic and true to their characters *sweats* I hope I did a great job, though.
> 
> It's actually overwhelming to see people commenting and leaving kudos for this story—seriously, thank you guys so much. I still don't see my writing as good as the other writers out there but it means a lot to me as this motivates me to try and do my very best to improve.


	4. iv

“We had a deal— I thought I was clear when I told you to leave this town as soon as you get whatever the hell you want here.”

Bonnie came as soon as she sees the opportunity to confront him.

“Just the girl I wanted to see,” Klaus ignores the anger in the witch's tone, swirling the glass of scotch in his hand, doesn’t spare so much as a glance in her direction. He had been in the Grill for a while, Matt or whatever his name was came to him earlier, offering small talks here and there before deciding to dash away to serve the customers there. He really didn’t mind, he didn’t come here to see him.

Cocking an eyebrow, Bonnie sits next to him albeit still keeping a little distance. She orders for a bourbon, he takes note. _Of course she does_. “Until when are you going to stay in Tyler’s body?”

Klaus turns in her direction, smirks at her. “Afraid one of your friends will notice?”

“That,” Bonnie deadpans, “And I’m concern for Tyler himself. And Caroline, of course. I see you’ve been enjoying yourself pretending to be her boyfriend when clearly— you’re not.”

_Ah, Caroline._

The Bennett witch is not entirely wrong. He does enjoy being her faux lover, enjoy the kisses he gets from time to time, revels in the attention Caroline's been giving him the past few days. _Isn't that what he wants?_ Although he admits she’s not really the reason why he's still residing in Lockwood's body.

His thoughts drifted off to the newly turned vampire he left in his house. He's given her instructions not to leave the manor at all cost when he's not with her. Not that it matters. He's sure she wouldn't even dare do so as she's still without daylight ring, void of the ability to walk under the sun. He remembers the expression on her face as he gives out all the rules for staying in his household, as if his words had obfuscate her. Well... he may or may have not given her a threat or two while doing so. He did have the tendency to talk piffle when he's not watching himself. 

He snaps out of his trance.

"Nonsense," he says, downing his drink all at once. "I assume you're willing to transfer me back to my body if you're so concern over your pals here."

That statement made her paused. He observes her as she ponders over his words, the wheels in her head turning, probably working twice as hard so she can offer a perfect response.

"Transferring you means I'll have to deal with black magic once more. It took all my power in order to place you in Tyler's body, and there are consequences in doing so. I can't anger the spirit anymore, _Klaus_." She said his name in a hushed whisper, glancing around her to see if anyone heard any of their conversation.

He’s not at all satisfied with her answer.

“Mind it was you who demanded I leave Mystic Falls at once. I gave you plenty of days to replenish your energy,” Bonnie senses the impatience in his voice; she gulps. “You didn’t think I’d leave this town with this body, did you?” Klaus sees that she need not anymore have to be told twice, sees the understanding on her part. She hurriedly chugs down the bottle of bourbon when it came, amusing him.

“I’ll try.”

“I don’t want you to try,” he can’t help the smirk that forms his face, “Do it.”

The witch asked him to give her another day to prepare for the ritual. He agrees; what's another day to him anyway? Might as well enjoy this town for one last time before he departs. There's no more reason for him to stay anyway. Thankfully he still has the last supply of Elena's human blood stored somewhere in his safe. He'll create another set of hybrids as soon as he leaves this pony town.

_Elena._

Her name surfaces his thoughts just as sudden, as if a reminder that he still has unfinished business here that needs to be done. He did promise her that he'll help her find the reason for her current state, why she has no memories of her past. Now, Klaus isn't one to break his promise (excluding that time when he killed Elena's aunt just to spite her), he _really_ is interested as to what factors caused her to forget anything about herself. There is still some doubt hanging in the back of his mind, but he'll find that out when he gets back in his own body. He'll compel all the needed information from her and see if she and her lackeys have anything up their sleeves yet again. And then he’ll decide what to do with her after learning the truth.

Of course, he might have an idea of what may have happened to his doppelganger. No vampire has ever forgotten their self and their past after they had transitioned. Instead, they remember everything. Any compulsions placed on them will be lifted just as soon as they become a vampire. Unless...

He's not sure who among his siblings is responsible for Elena's memory loss.

He had a long night to figure out what might be the reason for Elena to act that way. A vampire will not lose their memories so easily unless someone had tried to tinker with their brain. And no one... unless they're an Original like him and his family, could do it.

He decided to drop his suspicions for the meantime. He won't suspect his siblings until he's confirmed it from Elena herself.

He catches in the corner of his eyes when Damon and Stefan made an entrance to the Grill. Stefan gave him a nod while Damon made a sardonic comment about _Tween Wolf_ when he sees him. He nods in return, ignoring Damon's tendentious act of being high and mighty.

The Salvatores went to sit in on one of the tables far from everyone else, talking in hushed whispers, as if discussing something trivial. He noticed that Elena’s brother also made an appearance right after them. He went right over to the brothers and joined them in their discussions.

_Interesting._

He amped his vamp hearing to listen in on their conversation all the while pretending to be interested only in the drink he has in his hands. He must have looked like he’s had too much of a drink because Matt came sauntering over to ask if he’s feeling okay. When he dismissed him to say he’s good, the blue eyed boy hesitates at first before leaving him by himself.

_“She’s at peace, Damon. What are you talking about, bringing her back to life?”_

_“Woah, woah, woah. Hold that thought— have you gone mad? We’re talking about my sister here! She didn’t sacrifice herself just so you can throw her right back to whatever games you want to play!”_

_“You’ve gone and come back to life more than once, little Gilbert. Don’t you think your sister deserves to live longer more than any of us here? There must be some way! She’s a doppelganger, she’s probably on the Other Side right now watching over us, waiting for us to find a way for her to come back.”_

_“Damon, I know you’re still grieving but this isn’t why we came here. You need to let go of her.”_

_“No, Stefan—“_

_“He’s right, listen. I didn’t agree to come here to talk about this. I found something over the past few days: there might be a way to cure vampirism.”_

Klaus had stopped listening right after that part. Had almost dropped the glass in his hands if it wasn’t for his quick reflex. There is a cure.

_A cure._

A cure for vampirism.

He cannot believe what he had just heard.

It’s as if there’s something that just clicked in his head.

_A plan._

_He might have to keep Elena to himself after all._

He doesn’t find Elena anywhere when he came home at night.

Fearing that she’s escaped and had found his plans for her or that the Salvatores tricked him into believing there might be a cure for vampirism, he didn’t think twice punching the wall beside him, screaming in anger as he slams everything around him, destroying the things his eyes had set upon.

He searches for her high and low in the building, pieces of wooden furniture and shards of glasses from one of the vases he’d wrecked underneath his feet— victims of his fury.

_She’s not there._

Nobody’s there.

Clenching his jaw, he feels the anger boiling inside him once more. He leaves the house, deciding he’ll kill her when he finds her. Whatever explanation she has for leaving despite his warnings, he won’t listen to them.

He caught sight of her scent somewhere, deciding to follow them until it leads him to the woods where he found her the night before. The smell of blood didn’t leave his notice either.

Suddenly he’s reminded of the feeling he had when he saw her feeding on someone for the first time ever, the soft gasp that left him when his eyes landed that of the beauty who didn’t seem to have any care for anything around her except for the prey she has in her grasps, the pleasured look on her face after she’s finally sated.

_Elena’s nowhere in sight._

His brows knitted in confusion for the first time. Her scent had stopped around here somewhere, only the faint scent of blood hanging in the air, clogging his nose. If he had his body, he might have found her as soon as he senses she’s gone. He should have had the Bennett witch transfer him to his body today.

There’s no sign of her somewhere.

A body dropped in front of him all at once, not giving him any time to process what just occurred before Elena decided to appear, a glint in her bloodied eyes. She licks some of the blood in her fingertips, eyeing him as she does this. It’s as if she’s an entirely different person from the one he left early that day.

“Did I not tell you to never leave without my consent?”

“I was _hungry_. I don’t think I need permission for that.”

Klaus frowns. His gaze drifted to her blood-stained dress before returning to her face. Letting out a sigh, he crept towards her, palm reaching for her face before proceeding to wipe some of the blood smearing her cheeks with his thumb. She draws a short breath when he does this. He almost laughed if it wasn’t for the anger he still has over her for disobeying him.

“Let’s go,” he says, taking her arms in his before she could protest. He’ll think of a befitting punishment for her later.

“What of the body?” Elena asks, not entirely worried about the body.

“ _Animal attacks.”_

His answer earned him her genuine smile, free of any hidden intentions like the ones Caroline had given him before to distract him from their plans. The smile she had given the Salvatore brothers when she thinks he's not watching. The same one she had on her face before he decided to show up in front of her during their Senior Prank Night.

_He ignores the way his heart had skipped a beat when she does so._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The real story starts here I guess(?). I have to thank everyone who's given this fic a chance. Thank you for all the comments once more and for the kudos! Y'all awesome.


	5. v

Trapped in her room, Elena eyes the compelled humans lined beside her bed who return her stares blankly, not having the capability to think and move for themselves. She pities them but then again, the man brought them to her to avoid anything like last night to happen again. He warns that if her night wanderings were to ever repeat, he may have to take actions against her will. She can’t help but to roll her eyes with how dramatic he’s acting. He obviously got mad because of this and it leads her to the situation she’s currently in right now: bored out of her wit, having a staring competition with these humans and a journal in between her fingers.

She has still yet to write anything.

The blank pages gawk at her mockingly and she fights the urge to rip them off, cannot let the satisfaction of destroying something that man gave her to take over.

The lack of anything to do makes her frustrated. Carefully placing the journal where no one can find it, she ended up leaving the room and the compelled people in there, aimlessly wandering around the hallways of the mansion. She meanders through the ins and outs of the place, careful not to step over shards of glasses decorating the floor. Funny enough, the kitchen was the only place left intact out of all places she’s seen so far. She didn’t exactly know what happened but she has an idea that the man may have wrecked the place while she’s out.

The man said someone will come later to clean off the place while he’s gone for some “business” he needs to attend to and she could not bother to remember the next things he listed of the _whats_ and _whatnots_ to do while she's staying here. She may have heard something along the lines of _don't touch anything that does not concern you_ but she's not too sure about that anymore when she's suddenly faced with two large and elegant doors, clearly a place that may hold things beyond her mind.

It was also left slightly ajar.

Her heart flutters in excitement, not even scared of entering a place that is clearly off limits. It was open anyway.

Silently, she steps her foot inside the room and then her eyes saw it.

Before her eyes were something capable of leaving her gasping with awe. Portraits after portraits decorated the entirety of the room: some lying still on top of a wooden table, and some framed and put up against the walls around the room. Some are still incomplete, a work in progress and Elena didn’t hesitate to touch one of the paintings, a smile forming her lips to find it’s still wet. The smell of wet paint hit her nose and she was left marveling at the variants of colors her eyes had caught sight of, cannot deny the beautiful paintings lined within her eyesight. She didn’t expect finding anything like this in this place much less expect that someone like that man would find interest in the art itself.

She was so dazzled with curiosity and wonder to even notice the figure by the window.

And when she does, it was too late.

_“Katerina.”_

A man stood before her all too sudden, taking up all her space and she forgets to breathe. This person is also a vampire, she noticed. _Is this the person who’s going to clean the place?_

But the man was wearing some fancy suit, a bit extravagant for someone to wear if he’s only here to tidy things up. She would’ve laughed at the situation if it weren’t for the position she’s in. He’s too close and before she could even ask him who he was, he’d already claimed her lips, cradling her face with a gentleness she’s never felt ever since she could remember.

She was too shocked to even respond, and the man sees this, parting away from her lips at once.

_What the fuck._

“Forgive me, Katerina. I was only overjoyed to see you alive. I just— I didn’t expect to come across with you here.” The man tells her too formally for her taste. There was something noble in the way the man presented himself, his presence that of someone with an obvious regal bearing. But then again, he kissed her without warning and his dignified appearance may have already been tainted in her eyes.

And she’s confused. Who is this Katerina he keeps mentioning? Why did he mistake her for that woman? Does this man know her? _Was she Katerina all along and not Elena?_ What was she supposed to believe?

He sees the confusion in her eyes and once more, he reaches to cup her cheeks. “I would entreat you not to fear me; I did not come as an enemy this time.”

“I was told my name’s Elena Gilbert.” She says, breaking away from his hold and distancing herself away from him.

She couldn’t fathom the expression that clouded his face the moment she reveals this— something of confusion and recognition meshed together—and the man steps back in shocked.

“Elena? But the news says you died. H-How is this p—” he didn’t finish himself, pausing unexpectedly. Instead, his gaze drifted to her face and as if an idea popped into his mind, he grabs her waist with a speed so fast she didn’t even notice what happened. Her eyes widen when he carries her by the casement in the room, getting an idea of what he’s planning to do. He pulled the curtains open and all at once she’s screaming in pain, her shrieks probably being heard throughout the whole manor at this point.

She couldn’t even pull herself away from his grip due to the excruciating pain being forced on her and the only thing she could do was to watch how her skin burned and healed and burned and healed and the process repeats for the next few seconds and she thought, _this is it, this is how I’m going to die_ but the idea dies when the man appears to learn what he wants to know, closing the curtains and leaving her gasping and backing away from him in horror.

_“You’re a vampire.”_

He says this with a stony expression on his face and if Elena wasn’t still in so much pain, she would have responded in something sarcastic to him.

She didn’t, but she also didn’t miss the opportunity to glare at him.

“I came here as soon as the news of both you and my brother’s death reached my ear but what do we have here? You: _alive._ My brother: not so much luck on his side after all." He faces her glare head on straight, daring her to do something she’ll come to regret later on. 

"As much as I do not tolerate his actions, I still believe he was redeemable. But that wouldn't be the case anymore considering what you and your friends have done to him."

It’s as if the man is talking in riddles. Elena doesn't understand a single thing of what he's saying, has no recollection of doing those things she supposedly did. It seems her life is a never ending maze of confusion and she dreads the fact that there might be no way for her to get back the life she had before her memory loss. 

"I don't know what you're talking about, nor do I know this brother of yours."

Her words seem to amuse him. 

“I trust you’re a better liar than that, Elena.” He approaches her cautiously, like he’s entertaining the idea that she may really do something against him. But Elena knows better. This man is not someone to be crossed with.

“I’m not lying. I don’t even know who you are!” She tells him angrily, tired of not knowing anything around her.

Now this seems to catch his full attention, fully not expecting to hear those words from her. As if the idea that she cannot recognize him astonished him. Frowning, the man inspects her face. He closes the distance around them and Elena didn’t move from her spot, afraid of what he can do to her. He slowly reached out for her face and Elena thinks he’s going to kiss her again but then he had tipped her chin up towards him. “Look at me.”

She doesn’t know what pulled her to do as what she was told to do. It appears as if he was compelling her.

(But the only one she knows and remembers who can do that was Klaus.)

(This man is obviously not Klaus.)

“Are you telling the truth?”

“Yes,” she says with no trace of hesitant. She watches closely how he swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat.

“Tell me my name.”

“I can’t. I have no idea what your name is.”

The disbelief look on his face tells her everything. He was not prepared for her answers.

“How did you become a vampire?” He asks once more.

“I don’t know. When I woke up I was already like this. I recall running away from someone but I don’t remember anything beyond that.”

An exasperated sigh escaped from him, not knowing what to do with the information she’s given him. He releases her from his hold and Elena feels all the tension disappear when he does, giving her space to breath.

He’s staring at her like she had grown another head and Elena crosses her arms.

“Now I think it’s time you tell me who you are.”

“Elijah Mikaelson. We know each other…” Elijah stops. “Or at least, used to.”

(Mikaelson. _Is he related to Klaus, perhaps?_ )

They had moved to the kitchen after all the ruckus that happened in that large room, deciding among themselves that it may be better to talk where they could comfortably. Elena observes the man who calls himself Elijah, acting like he didn’t just watch her almost died earlier. She scoffs silently.

“I’m also an Original.”

“An Original?”

“ _I’m still having a hard time believing you have no memories of anything,”_ Elijah whispers which didn’t escape her ears. “From the name itself, being an Original meant all vampires existing in the present comes from our bloodline. Originals have walked this earth for over a thousand years— we’re stronger, faster, and powerful compared to normal vampires. It is a known fact that humans can be compelled by vampires, and that vampires can be compelled by an Original, but no one can compel an Original.”

That explains why she’s so obedient in answering all his interrogations earlier.

Elena unconsciously bit her lower lip.

If that is true and if what he had told her about her killing his brother is also true then that meant she may as well have just dug her own grave.

“Who is this brother that you spoke of earlier? The one me and my friends supposedly killed?” She quietly asks.

She had her suspicions the moment the name Mikaelson were uttered by him but she still doesn’t expect _that_ name to escape his mouth when he answers her.

_“Klaus Mikaelson.”_

Everything finally clicked. Elijah Mikaelson. Klaus Mikaelson. Elijah had mentioned earlier about her supposedly killing his brother—Klaus—and all the nights she blamed herself for being the reason Klaus is dead came rushing back to her all at once, filling her with dread and regret she cannot explain.

Elijah notices this but before he could ask her what was wrong, a sudden gust of wind enveloped the room. 

_“Say brother, what abridgement have you for this fine afternoon?”_

If there’s one thing that Elena clearly remembers the man told her when he left her here alone in this household earlier that day, it’s that he will be back early. He also told her he might be in another body when he does return and that she must not be afraid if an unfamiliar face shows up in front of her.

But the face in front of her is _too familiar_. Enough to make her tremble and shake not because of fear; not because of sadness either; but that of relief and joy upon seeing his face.

There he was, standing before her in all his glory, his lips forming a smile that she repeated over and over in her mind for the past few nights she had awoken as a vampire. The only face she recalls clearly amidst everything she cannot remember.

She hopes she's not dreaming because Klaus Mikaelson is clearly _alive_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Update (07/24/20): Fear not, I've not abandoned this yet. My laptop's been broken since May so I apologize for making everybody wait for so long. Follow me on my tumblr (monsieurbbh) if you want to be updated on when I will post the next part of this fic!! Thanks for reading :)


	6. vi

There is something oddly unusual with the way Elena’s brother carries himself out these days, one that will have others wondering if he really had just lost the last of his family weeks ago.

Perhaps the others would think it’s just a phase, much like the ones he had in the past when his parents died, but Klaus begs to differ. He already had some of his remaining hybrids gather information about the last Gilbert but _of_ course, no matter the loyalty they show him, Klaus still couldn’t bring himself to trust this task completely in their hands. After all, he can’t risk blowing the only chance of bringing back his key to build his army of hybrids.

Klaus had been following Elena’s brother since morning, stealthily moving in the shadows, determined to find out about this cure he had spoken of in the little gathering he had with the Salvatore brothers yesterday. There was only one cure that came to his mind when he had the time to ruminate. _But that can’t be it… is it?_ It had slipped his mind ages ago since he last destroyed the little affair his sister had with one of The Five, eventually resulting to the slaughter of everyone else in it. Had never think about it again after suffering decades and decades of torture and mindfuck with the Hunter’s Curse.

He can’t imagine killing another one if circumstances allow it.

The little Gilbert—as he clearly recalls hearing Damon call him sometimes—cautiously slipped into a suspicious looking truck hidden in the middle of the forest, showing up for about an hour later with an interesting look on his face. Klaus tried listening in on what was happening inside, but something prevented him from hearing anything. Some spell, he thinks. Which is odd. Could the Bennett witch be in there?

As much as he hates wasting time, there's only one way to know. So he waits.

He's perfectly hidden when the little Gilbert finally came out, an unfamiliar man appearing behind him. They didn’t say anything to each other, only an understanding that passes between them before shaking each other’s hands. And before he could have a better look of the man, he had already returned back inside the truck.

Klaus can’t recall if he had seen him before. He’ll have to ask his hybrids to look him up.

Elena’s brother lingered for a bit more after that. Looking closer, Klaus could see the fire in his eyes, blazing with an intensity that is _awfully_ familiar to him. He couldn’t mistake those eyes for another— eyes that would not hesitate to destroy any vampires that would so nearly cross their path.

The same eyes that the hunters he killed centuries ago had.

_Oh._

It’s at that moment that Klaus realize that the Salvatores may not be the ones playing with him after all. No. Perhaps he overestimated them too much.

Klaus had missed his intentions yesterday in his meeting with the Salvatores, but now it’s clear to him what Elena’s brother is up to. He supposes this was to be expected, whereas everyone he had ever loved gone since letting these vampires in their lives.

Klaus can’t help the smirk that forms on his face. This is beginning to get more interesting.

Oh what a wonderful turn of events.

“You’re late.” Bonnie comments when he finally arrived to their rendezvous. If she notices the telltale signs of amusement in his face, she doesn’t say anything about it.

“Had to patch up some things—not that it’s any of your business, love. Now, are we all set?”

The Bennett witch rolled her eyes at him. “As long as you’re ready.”

“Fantastic. Carry on.”

_Elena feels like she’s been drowning the moment her senses returned to her._

_She can't breathe._ _Darkness seems to reach for her, closing in on her and encasing her in a never ending hopelessness and helplessness with no way out. No light to reach for at the end of the tunnel._

_Waves of both sadness and self-contempt sweeps through her whole being and she doesn’t understand why, her emotions spiraling out of control as she takes a moment to observe where she is and what she’s doing._

_She sees she’s alone and naked in the middle of the woods, confused with an undeniable thirst for blood. Running for god knows how long. She can hear her own heart thumping loudly against her chest, her lungs burning and screaming for air. She’s not particularly tired, she can stop at any moment, and yet she can’t help the feeling that it’s going to be the end for her the moment she does._ But why? _What did she do? Who was even after her?_

(Conflicting thoughts of wanting to be caught and wanting to live battles in her mind.)

_She runs endlessly. Launching herself with no sense of direction or destination, not paying attention at all to her surroundings, nor does she pay heed to the cuts she got from small branches and sharp fronds, healing at once only to be replaced with more. She nearly stumbled when her foot got caught on a root but quickly regained her balance by grabbing hold onto the nearest trunk to her, scraping her palms in the process. It seems like hours had long since passed since her venture but the darkness that stretched and spread like blanket in the sky above her had her thinking otherwise. Even if there was a moon above, the dense canopy had made it impossible for its silvery beams to penetrate them._

_A gust of cold wind blows over her direction and she shudders, observing the goosebumps forming over her skin. She braced herself, fervently wishing for something to cover herself in the creeping midnight chill._

_She pauses at the thought._

No. _She doesn’t even deserve that._

_Her mind scrambles to make sense of everything that led her into this situation, but somehow she remembers nothing at all._

_She bit her lip and went on running for more. She’d kill for a sip of blood right now._

_Occasionally, she hears the clear indicator of animals scattering away—the gentle snapping of twigs mayhaps hinting to a rabbit or deer—as they felt her approaching. The noises the nocturnal creatures make have filled the entire forest and if she tries to listen closely, can hear the ululating of a wolf in the distance._

Wait. _A wolf._

_Something flashes in her mind. Blue eyes. Devilish smile. Sharp fangs piercing soft flesh._

_Just then, a name suddenly pops into her mind._

(A name that had been silently clawing in her chest for several hours—wanting her to remember, to never forget, for her to carry with her all the time—a name that carries both sadness and relief to her as she traverses into this unknown path, her past and future both unclear to her.) 

_She hadn’t realized when she had stopped running, a sense of calmness washing over her in an unexpected way._

Klaus.

_She finally remembers._

_When she looks up into the dark sky, the stars which she had failed to notice earlier—hidden behind the clouds which had already begun to shift slowly—twinkles brightly, coruscating and casting down hope inside her._

_Elena’s been drowning. Sinking and sinking deeper, falling into the bottomless abyss of agony and despair and no one to turn for help. Struggling desperately for air._

Klaus had become her oxygen.

_“Say brother, what abridgement have you for this fine afternoon?”_

She realized she was holding her breath the moment he appeared before her, the surreality of the situation not sinking completely into her mind yet, questions of _hows_ and _whys_ invading her thoughts.

But more importantly,

_He’s alive he’s alive he’s alive he’s alive._

Klaus is here and he’s _alive._

She is struggling to trust what her eyes are seeing, suspicions of this being a hallucination or a dream occurring to her mind.

His appearance is ever the same, never changing. She had seen his face in her dreams like this every night, had blamed and cursed herself over and over for his death, had wished it was her instead who died in his place.

That doesn’t matter. He’s here now.

She wants nothing more at that moment but to run to him and feel his touch once again, to be wrapped in his arms like he did the night he killed her. She unconsciously grip at the kitchen counter for support, his presence ever so powerful, so irresistible.

_It’s taking everything in herself not to block his path and ask him to kill her again then and there._

Her eyes were focused on him the entire time, never leaving him even as he approaches the bewildered Elijah beside her. She supposes she might even have the same look on her face right now. She tries to hide the disappointment on her face when he didn’t acknowledge her presence, his mouth curling into a wicked grin at his brother.

“Well? It seems I’ve interrupted something.”

Elijah awkwardly shifts from one foot to another, Elena observes. “ _Niklaus_."

"Yes brother, it is I." Klaus steps forward, the floorboard creaking underneath his shoes. "Have you come here to mourn for my supposed death? Mayhaps arrived here to celebrate? A pity as you can see, I’m very much alive and kicking.” He beams at them, spreading his arms as if to make a point.

"Well you've always had a flair for surprising those around you." Elijah made a point to appear calm but his voice—somewhat in between of pleased and disbelief as he regards his brother curiously—failed him. “How had the others not noticed you were alive?”

Klaus looks as if he can’t wait to tell his story, excitement filling his gaze. “Let’s just say I have an accomplice.”

“You mean Elena?”

Elena’s ears perked up when she heard her name. She remained quiet throughout the whole exchange, not fully knowing what to say lest she interrupts them. _And what is she even supposed to say in this situation?_ She still doesn’t fully understand everything that is happening right now. Just a few days ago she tortured herself endlessly by the fact that Klaus is dead and that it is her fault. Two nights ago a man let her in his home, gave her clothes, a meal, a journal, and this morning—compelled humans. And after everything, the same man just revealed himself to her as _Klaus_.

How is she going to wrap her head around all this occurrences?

Just then, Klaus peers over her direction, the corner of his mouth tugging into what might have passed for a smile.

Her breath hitches.

"It seems you've already seen my doppelganger." Klaus says, the phrase directed to his brother as he finally focuses his attention to her, electric blue eyes meeting that of her dark ones. It’s as if she was being pulled by those eyes, in which at first it seems like there were no emotions in them, but the more she stares the more she feels that _something_ is in there that she can’t quite put into words. Oddly enough, she felt at peace looking at them.

( _“…He will be your salvation, only to remember at the end of the day, it was your fault he died.”)_

She blinks.

Elena turns her gaze away, missing the frown that appeared on the other’s face immediately.

For almost a second she almost let herself believe that everything’s going to be okay with Klaus finally being here. She doesn't want to fool herself by thinking she's in the clear now that she's seen Klaus alive in front of her. Thinking about it, there’s no way everything is just a coincidence— out of all people, how is it him who found her first, all these days she had no place to stay and he’s the one who provided her that exactly? She may not remember how he died, doesn’t know how he survived, but in her heart she knows she’s still the reason for his supposed death. And she has an inkling that he knows that.

She scoffs silently. Of course there’s no way he’d let go of his killer. Everything might have been planned after all.

 _Doppelganger_ , she repeats in her head. Whatever does he mean by that?

"Am I to assume you’re the one behind her missing memories?” Elijah surprises her when he asks his brother that question, a thought that hadn’t even occurred to her. She stopped breathing altogether as she waits for Klaus’ answer to that.

“What do you think?”

Before Elijah could say anything back, she hears approaching footsteps and muffled noises. Both of them turn to the source of noise: another vampire—no, someone similar to Klaus, but weaker—appears with a struggling man in tow. She frowns, as does Elijah, whereas Klaus can be seen amused with the whole situation.

“ _Ah,_ it seems my gift for you has arrived, my dear.”

“For _me_?”

Elena takes a moment to observe the human, who glares at her in return. He was trying to say something but nothing is making any sense with the duct tape plastered on his mouth. She was about to take a step closer but Klaus stops her. “Careful, that one’s dangerous.”

He then directed for the vampire-like creature to remove the tape.

“Everyone thought you were dead.” the human spits as soon as he was able to speak, his eyes shooting daggers at everyone in the room, but mostly to Klaus.

Klaus ignores him. “How are you liking my present, sweetheart?”

She studies him, trying to see his intentions behind this but couldn’t find anything at all. “You’ve already left me these compelled humans in my room this morning, I don’t need another one.”

“Trust me, my dear, this one’s special.”

“What are you guys talking about? Since when were you and Katherine in league with each other?” _Katherine._ Is this perhaps the same Katerina that Elijah mistook her for a while ago? Do they really look so similar?

“It seems you’re mistaking her for another doppelganger, poor lad.”

Then Klaus repeated that word again. Is that what she thinks it is? Elena closes her eyes, her head aching from all the new questions forming in her head.

 _But Klaus knew it was her the moment they met._ He called her _Elena_ , not Katerina, not Katherine.

Something flutters in her chest with that sudden realization.

A gust of wind and someone groaning distracts her from her thoughts. All at once she sees Klaus pinning the human on the floor, so fast that even as a vampire, Elena couldn’t help but gasps. “I suggest you not to do what you were thinking; I’m short on my hybrids already.” His hand was on his neck, while the other is holding some stake that Elena doesn’t know where it came from.

Elena was so focused on her thoughts that she doesn’t even notice what the human was planning on doing. He had a stake hidden in his clothing, apparently. He’s strong, she observes, so strong that he was able to break free from the rope tied to his hands. Even the hybrid, the creature similar to Klaus, was shaken by the sudden events. Had Klaus not knew what he was about to do, the hybrid would probably be lying cold right now.

It seems Klaus was right, _this one is special_. But why would he bring this human to her, though?

“L-let me go, bastard!”

Elijah took this as a moment to finally step in.

“Why did you bring Elena’s brother here, Niklaus?”

Elena froze at the word. A brother. _She had a brother._ A newfound feeling emerged in her guts, something akin to what she can call a sudden urge of protectiveness for this brother she just met today. She tries to remember his name, imagines her life she had with him before her memory loss.

Only blankness greets her.

_“Elena?”_

_Her_ brother finally looks at her, still choking from Klaus’ grasps and Elena doesn’t know where she got the courage to push Klaus off of him and hiss a small, “Don’t touch him.”

This, of course, surprises Klaus, even Elijah who’s watching silently on the sideline. There was a small moment where they’re only exchanging glares, a flash of anger burning in Klaus’ eyes before this changes into a gleeful delight that caught her off guard. He finally eases his hold on her brother and she immediately goes to help him.

“Elena… it’s you… but you seem different, almost like, almost like you’re—”

“A vampire?” Elijah cuts him off, “I would say your hunch is correct.” She doesn’t miss the horror in her brother’s eyes after this information was revealed. It's hard to ignore the pain that ripples through her chest as he immediately inches away from her. From the corner of her eyes, Elena sees Klaus signaling the hybrid to take the stake, probably to burn away.

When the hybrid's gone, he faces them again but this time with a huge smile on his face. But his cold eyes and calculating countenance betrays him, and Elena senses that he's plotting something big right now.

She shies away when their eyes met for the second time.

“I'd say this is a lovely reunion, isn't it?" 

In her mind, Elena couldn't help but agree. _A lovely reunion it is._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Clarifications in case you’re confused (also a recap since it’s been so long *nervous laugh*):  
> 1\. Regarding what Elena remembers with her memories of Klaus, she knows he’s killed someone special to her (Aunt Jenna) and that he’d already killed her once (the sacrifice). But since Rebekah compelled her to forget her loved ones, she doesn’t have any resentment left for Klaus. Elena’s to assume that she became a vampire after Klaus killed her hence why she’s still alive.  
> 2\. No, she’s not in love with him. It was mentioned that she tried to kill herself several times but failed due to Rebekah’s compulsion (“Everyday you will resent yourself for being alive, but you cannot die.”) and so she sees Klaus as her salvation because he’s already killed her once. She felt happy to see him alive but the urge to ask him to kill her remains strong.  
> 3\. In this story, Jeremy met Connor (the hunter) earlier, so yep, he’s already a hunter hence why Klaus sees he had the same bloodthirsty eyes as those hunters he killed before. 
> 
> I’m sorry this update took wayyyy too long. I’ve mentioned that my laptop broke in May so I couldn’t update for the past three months. I also had to rewrite this chapter several times because I wasn’t satisfied with my writing and I felt like I’ve forgotten how to write Klaus and Elena and this story (lol). This fic won’t be updated regularly since I’m busy with school but do visit my tumblr (monsieurbbh) if you want to know when I will update next. (I reblog lots of anime and kpop in there though so follow at your own risks). Thank you for reading and for patiently waiting despite the long hiatus <3


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